Found Deceased TX - Crystal Seratte McDowell, 38, Baytown, 25 Aug 2017 #3 *Arrest*

[Emma0883]

She filed. He was the respondent. She had the attorney. Her attorney worked out the arrangements. He simply signed. So I don't see how he manipulated the process. He wasn't fighting it. He didn't use an attorney. I expect that what was in the decree was how Crystal wanted to do this. Either that, or she should have hired a better attorney if she was wanting a different outcome in the decree.

Well, abusers find many ways to manipulate their victims. Leaving an abusive marriage isn't as cut and dry as it is in a normal divorce. They often use children as pawns to keep the other party under their thumb. Perhaps he threatened to take the kids and run or to take sole custody of the kids if he didn't like what the agreement said. Just speculation here but to me it is abundantly clear she was still being controlled by him and is it any wonder why she complied? She finally decided to move on and he kills her.
I don't find it odd that she was still living in his house. The most dangerous time for an abused person is when they decide to leave.
It's hard for people to understand the rational of someone being abused. They spend years being torn down into a shell of their former self often while still trying to keep up appearances that everything is perfect. And if no one knows what they are going through no one knows how to help or that they even need help.

 

[Jethro4WS]

For those who can't watch, she called the cops on March 20th. One of her kids didn't show up at school, so she was worried. When she called the cops she told them that Steve had been making threats to hurt himself and the children.

I missed the last couple of seconds, but I heard them say she got the kids back the next day. Someone feel free to fill in.

That was it. The case was closed the following day.

 

[bellesnwhistles]

Well, abusers find many ways to manipulate their victims. Leaving an abusive marriage isn't as cut and dry as it is in a normal divorce. They often use children as pawns to keep the other party under their thumb. Perhaps he threatened to take the kids and run or to take sole custody of the kids if he didn't like what the agreement said. Just speculation here but to me it is abundantly clear she was still being controlled by him and is it any wonder why she complied? She finally decided to move on and he kills her.
I don't find it odd that she was still living in his house. The most dangerous time for an abused person is when they decide to leave.
It's hard for people to understand the rational of someone being abused. They spend years being torn down into a shell of their former self often while still trying to keep up appearances that everything is perfect. And if no one knows what they are going through no one knows how to help or that they even need help.

Thank you, you explained what I was trying to but much better than I did.

 

[luckystar01]

The news program also confirmed that he made a tearful confession after being presented with the evidence.

 

[audge86]

They may have agreed to split custody for tax purposes as others said. And then when she had them would depend on her schedule. Real estate is tough, lots of time spent working and also networking to bring in clients. It makes sense to have a loose agreement. It would be hard for Crystal to know what nights she would be free.

It's an idealistic arrangement though and they likely would have ended up in court again. They both posted on SM about their kids loving each other, don't believe for a second that the kids were being split up.

 

[Gooddeeds]

LE is just fumbling over saying SM has issues. It took more than a few seconds before he decided how he wanted to spin that. Then trying to put it in the context of 'when they were divorcing'. I can't imagine how her family must feel.

 

[luckystar01]

That was it. The case was closed the following day.

Thanks. This must have been such an emotional struggle for her. I wish she would have taken her kids and run.

 

[Landchick]

Well, abusers find many ways to manipulate their victims. Leaving an abusive marriage isn't as cut and dry as it is in a normal divorce. They often use children as pawns to keep the other party under their thumb. Perhaps he threatened to take the kids and run or to take sole custody of the kids if he didn't like what the agreement said. Just speculation here but to me it is abundantly clear she was still being controlled by him and is it any wonder why she complied? She finally decided to move on and he kills her.
I don't find it odd that she was still living in his house. The most dangerous time for an abused person is when they decide to leave.
It's hard for people to understand the rational of someone being abused. They spend years being torn down into a shell of their former self often while still trying to keep up appearances that everything is perfect. And if no one knows what they are going through no one knows how to help or that they even need help.

Thank you for this.

Reading this perspective, makes my heart hurt for anyone in an abusive relationship. And, it does illuminate the possibilities of what Crystal was going through with SM.


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[luckystar01]

Thank you, you explained what I was trying to but much better than I did.

And when the abuse is mostly psychological, it can be easy to convince yourself that the abuser is just hurting and wouldn't really harm you or your children.

 

[tsp663]

No, you missed this part:

"In split custody, the parents have custody of one (or more than one) of the children. For example, in a family with four children, the father may end up the custodial parent of two kids and mother may have custody of the other two."

The parents make the decision to do this, not the court.

I didn't miss that part.


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[Gooddeeds]

Thank you, you explained what I was trying to but much better than I did.

Same here! Excellent communication and true with so many cases. Thank you.

Emotional manipulation is the worst in that no one can grasp the damage done before it comes out. He made a choice to keep his FB married relationship status, and it is his right. But in my opinion he could have stated nothing if he was unselfish and not deceptive. That's a form of manipulative control. The same for the Mommy come home text...

All my opinion, its not a debate.

 

[Midge Montana]

We learn that #missing Texas realtor did make it to her ex-husband's house the morning she vanished.
Sheriff Brian Hawthrone of Chambers County Sheriff's Office joins us tonight revealing exclusive NEW DETAILS on how Crystal McDowell was found, how she died and who confessed at 8pET on HLN

From Ashleigh Banfield FB page.

 

[EmmieA]

LE is just fumbling over saying SM has issues. It took more than a few seconds before he decided how he wanted to spin that. Then trying to put it in the context of 'when they were divorcing'. I can't imagine how her family must feel.

He most likely manipulated CM and now it seems like he is possibly manipulating LE into feeling a tiny bit of sympathy for him? I hope the courts aren't as easily fooled.

All just my opinion.

 

[cluciano63]

Weren't they hiding the fact they were divorced from some family and/or friends?

 

[CoreyRocks]

I did find his Twitter page:

https://mobile.twitter.com/McSt3v3


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On the photo where she is out with her girlfriends there are bruises on her arm where someone facing her could have grabbed her harshly. Things that make you go 'hmmmm.

 

[Jethro4WS]

Well, abusers find many ways to manipulate their victims. Leaving an abusive marriage isn't as cut and dry as it is in a normal divorce. They often use children as pawns to keep the other party under their thumb. Perhaps he threatened to take the kids and run or to take sole custody of the kids if he didn't like what the agreement said. Just speculation here but to me it is abundantly clear she was still being controlled by him and is it any wonder why she complied? She finally decided to move on and he kills her.
I don't find it odd that she was still living in his house. The most dangerous time for an abused person is when they decide to leave.
It's hard for people to understand the rational of someone being abused. They spend years being torn down into a shell of their former self often while still trying to keep up appearances that everything is perfect. And if no one knows what they are going through no one knows how to help or that they even need help.

I can't rule out what Crystal did or said to Steve in any way. There is this huge assumption that this is all a one-sided situation with a helpless victim. That may not be the case at all. In most situations it takes two to tango. For all we know she may not have been the easiest person to live with.

She seemed to have no trouble with staying away from the house. It is known she spent the weekend before with the BF in Galveston. And she spent the two days prior to her disappearance at the BFs. So, I don't quite see what was really going on there yet and perhaps more information will come out and shed light on the real situation.

Where I get hung up on the whole idea of him being in control of her is that he didn't do much about the divorce. He just signed whatever Crystal's attorney came up with. That is my disconnect in what may have been going on. It may always have been the case that if she left he would kill her. But we don't know that. We may eventually find out.

And we can't forget that it is not uncommon in divorce situations where women abuse the system with bogus claims of abuse on them or the children involved. It happens. So, without seeing the report and investigation we can't know what transpired.

I will note that in the court docket that I posted where it said "after admonishment". That usually means someone was behaving badly during the course of the divorce proceedings or withheld information or lied. We don't know who was admonished but considering it was her filing and her attorney and he didn't contest and simply signed I would be thinking it related to something Crystal or her attorney had done. But without the document we can't know who did what.

 

[BIC]

We learn that #missing Texas realtor did make it to her ex-husband's house the morning she vanished.
Sheriff Brian Hawthrone of Chambers County Sheriff's Office joins us tonight revealing exclusive NEW DETAILS on how Crystal McDowell was found, how she died and who confessed at 8pET on HLN

From Ashleigh Banfield FB page.

Wow. Maybe the autopsy has been completed already?


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[DeDee]

Originally Posted by DeDee
My own interpretation, as I don't have a link for this, but going back to the Motel 6 when the female guest videos Crystal's car in the parking lot, she also attempts to record the male and female that LE captured near the Interstate. Those are the 2 people who entered Crystal's car from the gas station where it was originally abandoned.

The two individuals found that Crystal's car was waterlogged and basically undriveable. Hence, it was left where we see it in the lot at Motel 6. It was placed, parked and abandoned there by the two would be car thieves. That is how the evidence in the car will prove to be compromised.

Crystal's family was standing very near the female who was filming with her cellphone on the balcony of the Motel 6. She shows them during the long video.

I totally missed the Gas station report. Was that stated earlier on in the thread?
Thank you

I do not know that answer, Gooddeeds, as I'm behind on my goodreads. It is my own interpretation of the activities that morning as seen in the female Motel 6 guest's video. Crystal's family was standing on the motel balcony well away from the vehicle that was in standing and rising water. The female guest attempts to explain what was happening with Crystal's car and the two people who ran away once they exited her car; however, in her excitement of this police chase coupled with being isolated by flooding waters, it's difficult to piece her words together and required careful listening and viewing to form my conclusions.

One of Crystal's long-time friends is due to appear on Ashleigh Banfield's HLN program this evening, btw.

 

[Midge Montana]

It is so true that the most dangerous time for a woman in an abusive relationship is when she is trying to leave.
Someone above posted that they wished she could have just taken the kids and run. While that is very likely what she would have liked to do, it's just not a good move, in the eyes of the courts. If she did that, she would likely be the one to lose custody and then the kids would be full-time with the scary husband.
I've known people in very similar situations and it is a horrible position to be in. You have to kind of 'ease out' if possible to keep the upset down to a minimum. It is wrong wrong wrong, but a scared woman will often comply as much as she can to minimize the fallout.
Sometimes it works and sometimes, as in beautiful Crystal's case, it doesn't. The main point is that the fear is real. Especially when he's threatening the kids. I would think that would have given her some legal teeth though...

In no way blaming or saying she deserved to be hurt or killed, but I am a little surprised that she was dating and having overnights at the BF's house before she was completely away and safe (as safe as you could be) from this monster. In such a dangerous situation it's like waving a red flag in front of a bull. I totally see why she chose to stay there until her place was done, if he was making threats against the kids. It's a way to appease until there is another place to go. Sad, sad, sad.

 

[Gooddeeds]

He most likely manipulated CM and now it seems like he is possibly manipulating LE into feeling a tiny bit of sympathy for him? I hope the courts aren't as easily fooled.

All just my opinion.

Thank you Emmie. Its so obvious! I have not seen LE speak about 'remorse, tearful, issues, etc.' like this so quickly?! Combined with the comments being made about Crystal choosing to live under the same roof? That's a slap in the face! She didn't choose to be dead, nor to kill her children's father. This has been going on throughout the LE reporting.